Becoming a Champion: Pole Vault for Girls' Track & Field

Discover how pole weight limits, the bend of the pole, hand placement, grips and more can effect your vaults

Use "pool vaulting" to slow down vaulting techniques and safely learn and improve your mechanics

Learn multiple teaching progressions that allow the athlete to fine tune their approach to the pole vault

Sample Videos

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Description

with Caroline White, University of Minnesota Assistant Coach;coached Gopher pole vaulters to five All-America awards and six Big Ten titles; a 2x All American vaulter at the College of St. Benedict

Caroline White brings her enthusiasm and love of teaching the vault to you in this outstanding video. Coach White breaks down the event into an easy to follow program for the athlete and for novice coaches. She shares her training ideas on how you can develop and teach the critical training phases behind a successful pole vault attempt.

Beginning with a series of pool drills to develop effective form, Coach White teaches how to clear the bar and fly-away. You will see essential body positioning in each stage of the take-off and flight with clear, step-by-step instruction.

This unique approach to the vault is beneficial because it allows an athlete to experience the vaulting progression safely, with proper technique and form without taxing the body. The water slows the drill down and allows the coach and athlete to evaluate proper mechanics and understand movements while exaggerating mistakes. It also provides an indoor training option when bad weather hampers outdoor vaulting time.

Coach White introduces the basics for beginning vaulters, including instruction on finding your pole's pre-bend and weight rating, and finding and marking your grip. She shares over 20 drills that can be used by the young athlete to build the fundamentals needed for the pole vault. Each drill and progression is demonstrated by one of White's All-American athletes.

Each drill includes step-by-step instruction and coaching tips for how to develop pole speed, develop good athletic posture, a proper approach and an optimized plant. Using standing plants, 0-, 2-, 4- and 6-step approaches, White gives valuable instruction for both coaches and athletes on what to look for and what to develop with each of these drills.

As the athlete becomes comfortable with each stage of the approach and vault, White adds components of successful vaulting, appropriate for all levels of athletes.

White wrap-ups her presentation by covering a unique sets of drills and skills off the runway to help gain speed, core and hip strength, and power to get the most out of your vaulting ability.

Athletes of all skill sets will benefit from these great drills and reach new heights!